Islington

Islington's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and ethnicity.

The population passed 200,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Islington increased by 17%, from just under 176,000 to 206,000.

The addition of about 30,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Islington was home to, on average, 99 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres). This made it England's most densely-populated borough.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Islington

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Islington decreased by one year, from 32 to 31 years.

This cosmopolitan area had a lower average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 14,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by almost 300.

About 24% of people in Islington are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Islington by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Islington

The number of people in Islington that described themselves as Christian increased from just over 95,000 in 2001 to just under 83,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 54% to 40% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across London (from 58% to 48%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Islington that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 42,000 in 2001 to about 62,000 in 2011 (from 24% to 30%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 18,000 to about 34,000 (from 10% to 17%).

About 20,000 people (8.1%) said they were Muslim, up from just over 14,000 in 2001 (9.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Christian in Islington decreased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Islington by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

This area saw London's largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

Across the region, Wandsworth saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple (from 10% in 2001 to 12% in 2011).

During this period, Islington overtook Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth to become the London local authority area with the second-highest percentage of cohabiting households.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households in Islington had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage with just a single person decreased from 44% to 39%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across London

Percentage of households that that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Islington stood out from other areas for children

In Islington, the proportion went up from 70% in 2001 to 71% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion fell from 62% to 60%.

The proportion of households with children in Islington fell from 24% to 22%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 6.5% to 6.7%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across London

Percentage of households that without children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

This area saw England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people working long hours.

During this period, Islington overtook Wandsworth and Isles of Scilly to become the English local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of long hours workers.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Islington said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 6.6% in 2001. The percentage that worked less than 16 hours in a week increased from 4.0% to 4.4%.

The largest increase occurred in Southwark (from 4.6% to 5.7%) followed by City of London (from 11% to 12%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to City of London should be made with caution.

Long hour working was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

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